Dye beck



INVENTOR' .ya ATT3? June 1, E B

. RYDR, JR

DYE BECK Filed' Feb. Y19, 1942 Patented June l, 1943 DYE BECK Edward B. Ryder, Jr., East Greenwich, R. I., as-

sgnor to The Apponau tion of Massachusetts g Company, a corpora- Application February 19, 1942, Serial No. 431,475

4 Claims.

'I'his application isa continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 288,389. filed August 4, 1939. The invention relates to an apparatus for treating wet textile fabrics, more particularly an apparatus used for the so-called finishing of the textile fabric, in which the fabric is wet.

The invention has for one-of its objects to feed wet fabric in rope form in such a Way that the fabric will not slip along the feeding mechanism which has occurred in mechanism heretofore used for this purpose.

Another object of this invention isto provide a feeding means which may be easily cleansed so that when dyes of different colors are used it is a simple matter to clean the feeding mechanism. 1

Another object of the invention is to feed wet fabric in such a manner that the fabric will not be abraded, frayed or damaged and such that the continuous length of fabric will notvbecome tangled in the feeding thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device which will be exceedingly simple to manufacture and operate, and which will not require expensive shaping.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dye beck embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental end view showing the feeding device and a part of the work in rope form extending thereover.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the feeding reel.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the feeding member showing a modified arrangement of knurling thereon.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view of a 'still different modification cf the feeding reel.

Fig. 7 is a section taken through the reel of Fig. 6.

The invention is shown as applied to a dye beck, although it will be understood that other apparatus for handling wet fabric in either rope or `web form may utilize this invention. In the dye beck illustrated it is usual to feed either continuous lengths of fabric through a dye bath or feed the fabric in somewhat of a helical arrangement progressively forward through the dye beck alternately into 'the treating liquor and out of the treating liquor in its passage through the apparatus. If slipping occurs along the feeding reel, tightening or tangling of the fabric will occur or possibly an abrading and fraying of the fabric.' Open framework reels such as metal or Wooden slatted reels are frequently used for the feeding of the fabric. In each case I slipping occurs and it is usual to cover the reels with cloth, tying or sewing the same about the reel to provide a surface having a greater traction and one which will not slip when the fabric engages the same to be fed thereby. Such cloth covering requires changing every time a different color dye is to be used for the treating liquor as the cloth cover cannot be easily cleaned. Considerable time is required to make such a change and a 'considerable amount of cloth is used. I have found that I may use a sheet metal surface for covering the feeding reel, of some stainless material, and by knurling the'surface provide a suiiicient roughness on the surface to enable thc reel to feed satisfactorily and without slipping under all the wet conditions which I have experienced; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, I0 designates the dye bath tank into which the fabric II extends over suitable guide rollers I2 to be guided between the separators I3 held in the rcd I4. The fabric II in somewhat of a rope form is helically passed through the machine into the bath along an inclined wall in the compartment I0 and out of the same over the feeding device I5 in a generally known arrangement.

This feeding device I5 is novel and consists of an elliptical reel having a sheet metal covering I6 thereon of solid formation and may advantageously be made of stainless steel, although other materials may be used. This reel is mounted upon a shaft I1 provided with the gear I8 at one end suitably driven by a sprocket chain I9 from motor 20 having a sprocket gear 2| on the armature shaft thereof for rotating this feeding reel. The feeding of the fabric by means of this reel depends entirely upon the Weight of the fabric resting upon the reel by reason of its extent over the same as shown in Fig. 1 and the traction which is had between the surface of the reel and the fabric.

In order to increase the traction of the surface of the reel I5 which engages the fabric I have knurled, as a convenient means of roughening, the surface of the metal I5 which engages the work. This knurling will be of a character similar to that provided on hand tools and will be of a depth of perhaps to 20 one-thousandths of an inch. The knurling will extend throughout the width of the reel. The knurling may be continuous as in Fig. 1 or at spaced intervals as at 22 in Fig. 4 depending on the amount of roughened surface required. Different fabrics will require different amounts of roughening. The knurling will be of a ne` character and will resemble fine sandpaper having somewhat of a pebbly feel to the hand. This roughness is such that it does not abrade or fray the fabric or cause pulling of any threads and yet forms a sufficient grip upon the fabric so as to lift the fabric in a Wet condition from the bath at one side, feed it over the reel, and deposit it on the inclined wall on the other side. A considerable drag occurs on the fabric and yet the fabric is found not to slip upon the surface of this reel even though of metal, usually considered very slippery.

Further the reel, in that it provides a solid metal surface, enables thereel to be cleaned. The surface of the reel does not absorb or accumulate the dye and by washing the same with water by means of a common hose it is found sufllcient to remove all of the dye stuff which may be accumulated on the reel by its use with a certain dye color so that if a different color dye is desired to be used in the' dye beck. this reel may be easily cleaned in an operation much quicker than were channel framework reels with a fabric covering thereon used which must neces-f sarily be changed when the chie beck is to be used for a different colored dye. The reel also being of a flat surface prevents falling of the fabric into any valleys as in a hump reel which occurs in such reels heretofore used for this purpose.

The reels commonly in use are of stainless steel, forty inches in diameter as in Fig. rI, or where oval may be thirty inches on one axis and eighteen inches on the other axis. The knurling may either cover the entire surface or exist as stripes 22 laterally across the reel the full width thereof as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and of a width to cover one third of the reel, such for example, as alternating a stripe four inches wide of knurling and eight inches width of plane surface, 23.

I'n Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a cylindrical reel 25 from which there projects from its surface protuberances 26. These protuberances are in staggered relation about the surface and each of the protuberances is knurled as at 21 so as to roughen their surfaces. It has heretofore been CII known that protuberances may extend from the general surface of the reel which may be either cylindrical or elliptical, but in most instances such protuberances have not been found sufllcient to prevent slipping of the cloth. However by knurling these protuberances as at 21 along their exposed surface, this knurling provides a sufcient roughening so that reel with protuberances may be made of metal and may operate successfully in feeding the goods without slipping.

claim:

l. In an apparatus for treating wet fabric, an all metal rotatably driven member with which the fabric engages for feeding the same, said member having a fabric-contacting surface formed of sheet material with its surface provided with stripes of crisscross grooves of a depth to roughen the same to the degree of knurling covering a portion of the area and arranged throughout its Work-engaging width to retard slipping of the wet work thereover.

2. In an apparatus for treating wet fabric, an all metal rotatable member which is generally elliptical in cross section with which the fabric engages havingv a fabric-contacting surface formed of sheet material with its surface provided with rows of surfaces having angularly crossing diagonally arranged grooves of a depth to roughen the same to the degree of knurling covering a portion of the area of the member and throughout its work-engaging width to retard slipping of the wet work thereover.

3. ln an apparatus for treating Wet fabric, an all metal rotatable member with which the fabric engages having solid sheet stock fabric-contacting surface with its surface provided with spaced rows of crlsscross grooves of a depth to roughen the same'to the degree of knurling over `substantially its entire Width to retard slipping of the wet work thereover.

4. In an apparatus for treating wet fabric, a tub for containing a liquid bath for the work, an all metal rotatable member having va long axial extent with reference to its transverse diameter and of constant cross section throughout its axial extent with which the fabric engages, means to rotatably mount said'member above said tub, said member having a fabric-contacting surface With its 'surface provided with cross-cross grooves of a depth to roughen the same to the degree of knurling throughout its work-engaging width and extending circumferentially to cover an area suflicient to prevent slipping of the wet `work as drawn out of said tub.

EDWARD B. RYDER, JR. 

